Andrea Bocelli will headline Yasalam Classics, a brand-new concert series launching during the 2026 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix week, performing at Etihad Arena on Yas Island on Wednesday, December 2nd, accompanied by the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra. The series, produced by Ethara in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, and Miral, sits alongside the Grand Prix’s existing after-race concerts and official after-parties, expanding race week’s entertainment offering into classical and orchestral territory for the first time and giving Abu Dhabi a genuinely different kind of cultural event to anchor one of the year’s most anticipated weeks.
The Artist and the Anniversary
Bocelli has sold more than 90 million records worldwide over a career spanning more than three decades, performing at landmark international events including the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup, and building a global reputation through classical crossover works including Con te partirò, Canto della Terra, and Ave Maria. His Abu Dhabi performance carries particular significance because 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Romanza — the album that established him as a global phenomenon, which remains both the best-selling Italian-language album and the best-selling predominantly non-English language album of all time, certified platinum and diamond in more than 20 countries. The Abu Dhabi show is part of his Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour, making it one of the most meaningful stops on the entire tour calendar.
Race Week in Full
The Grand Prix entertainment lineup already includes Lewis Capaldi, Zara Larsson, and Imagine Dragons, with more artists still to be announced, but the addition of Bocelli and the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra signals a deliberate ambition to make the 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix week something broader and more culturally layered than previous editions. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders will receive 24-hour pre-sale access before tickets go on general sale on Wednesday, June 17th, via Ticketmaster and Etihad Arena.
